IIT to tell if Malabar Hill buildings in Mumbai can go taller with view intact

And even as the IIT has been asked to prepare a report, the state government issued a notification on Friday granting permission to the municipal commissioner to decide on increase in building heightClara Lewis | TNN | June 18, 2017, 08:52 IST

MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay , will study elevation levels and recommend if the height of buildings on Malabar Hill can be increased without obstructing the view of Marine Drive and the Backbay .

And even as the IIT has been asked to prepare a report, the state government issued a notification on Friday granting permission to the municipal commissioner to decide on increase in building height. The decision was earlier taken by the state first, after which the matter went to the civic body .

Last fortnight, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appointed the IIT to decide on the height of buildings that are in the funnel of vision marked from Kamala Nehru Park to the sea shore.The institute will submit its report in the next four months.

The funnel of vision has been marked to ensure an uninterrupted view of the Marine Drive (southern view) and the Backbay (eastern view) from the park. On the eastern side, the area between Priyadarshini Park to Nepe an Sea Road, sector 49, are in the funnel of vision. On the southern side, the area between the end of the wooded area of Raj Bhavan on Walkeshwar Road to the Walkeshwar circle are in this zone. A total of 108 plots on both sides of the hill fall in this funnel. The height of the buildings in this zone is restricted to 21.35 met res (seven floors).

“There are a large number of old and dilapidated buildings in this area which need to be redeveloped. Often, developers would approach the state government with individual projects, and it would take a lot of time to clear these at the state level, after which they would go to the BMC. The government has now decided that the commissioner will decide on whether to apply the height restrictions or allow an increase in height,“ said civic officials.

The government directed the BMC to create a model for buildings in the funnel and grant permissions on the basis of that.

“IIT will collect elevation data in the Kamala Nehru Park, superimpose on the Development Plan and see the coverage. It will generate the view lines from the viewing gallery at the park and then recommend permissible heights,“ said the official.

On Friday , the state urban development department issued a notification seeking feedback from citizens on allowing the commissioner to decide on the building heights.

The notification states, “The commissioner may permit a building more that 21.35 metres after due consideration of the contours of the area, surrounding developments and plot location, the objective being not to obstruct the view within the funnel of vision.“ Atul Kumar, vice-president, Nariman Point-Churchgate Citizens Association, said the notification removes checks and balances and gives unilateral powers to the commissioner to decide. “To this day, we are mourning the loss on account of the height increase allowed for a building at Marine Drive,“ he said.

BMC report on Marine Drive ready, to go to SC

A 2012 decision of then civic chief Subodh Kumar to allow increase in height of Vasant Sagar building at Marine Drive from 28m to 58.63m led to protests from local residents. The Federation of Churchgate Residents challenged the move in Bombay HC, which restricted the permission for 13 storeys to five storeys. The matter is now before SC.BMC chief Ajoy Mehta said SC had directed BMC, along with Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, to frame a policy for buildings on Marine Drive.Accordingly, a policy was framed whereby buildings in the front row will be allowed a height of up to 32 metres. BMC has submitted the report to the state, which has to submit it to SC.